The Graduate Student and the Captain
by pinkskulls
Summary: *A Deadliest Catch fanfiction* Nikki and Kimberly are graduate students at the University of Alaska Anchorage. Their next research project leads them aboard the Time Bandit. They face the difficulties of preparing for their thesis projects, being in their 20's, the Bering Sea and emotions towards the captains and crew. O/C and Johnathan Hillstrand story. Time Bandit crew.


Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Discovery Channel's: Deadliest Catch characters, crews, names, or boats. The main characters will be OC/Johnathan Hillstrand. In this story he is only 40 years old.

OC: Nikki Benavides. 21 years old. Graduate student at University of Anchorage. Biology/ Environmental Science double major and graduate research focusing on deep water specimens and water quality based on environmental changes. Nikki is an honors student, in fact one of the leading animal-environmental scientists at the university level.

Support character: Kimberly "Kimmy" Saenz. Also a graduate student at the University of Anchorage. Environmental Science major working on the same research team as Nikki. She's Nikki's right hand in the lab and trusted friend.

Time Bandit crew: Andy and Johnathan Hillstrand, Eddie Sr., Mike Fourtner, Freddie, and Axel Hillstrand.

***beep beep beep ***

The sun came shining in through the small window of the two bedroom apartment in Anchorage, Alaska.

Nikki turned off her alarm and began to stretch in bed. She put her long, wavy hair into a messy bun as she made a mental list of all the things that she needed to get done that day. The list included all kinds of things like : Oceanography class at 9 am, talk to Professor Trad about fundings, drop in the lab for a while, lunch with Kimmy, a small trip to the grocery store and on and on. She became rushed once she realized how much needed to get done so she quickly got out of bed and began to get ready for the day.

Nikki's POV

Oceanography class finally let out. I grabbed my backpack and began to walk down the hallway to get my lab coat from my truck. I took my phone out on my way to my truck and began to text Kimmy when I heard a deep, hoarse voice in the thickest Ukranian accent say " ."

I quickly turned and saw my mentor/ professor Dr. Trad wave his hand, beckoning me into his office. I slipped my cell into my back pocket and walked over to his doorway. As I entered his office I was very surprised to see Kimmy already sitting in one of the chairs in front of his desk. I shot her a " what the hell is going on?" look as Dr. Trad got comfortable in his chair. She shrugged her shoulders, clearly just as confused as I was. Dr. Trad and I had a pretty good friendship/ mentorship since he has been my professor for a few of my graduate classes and took on the role as my graduate mentor once I began to work on my thesis. He was a great man, but still had the power to make me shake with fear. Dr. Trad was very well versed in these studies and helped me secure grants and funding for our research. Any news from him could either completely make my day or crush me…especially if things at the lab weren't going well or funding fell through.

Dr. Trad: "so… girls I asked you both to join me so that I could bring you up to date with an offer I received for a new research study or internship. Personally…. I only trust you two to carry out projects this big so it will be a study rather than an internship for other graduates."

I shifted nervously in my chair while Kimmy the adrenaline junkie, thrill seeker sat in her chair adjacent to mine sitting cool and completely unfazed.

Dr Trad: "NOAA has made an offer for us to conduct a study on local commercial fisheries and deep water data."

Me: "NOAA? Are you kidding me? They're a HUGE organization."

Dr. Trad: " I know. They read some of your other research articles and well… you've really made a name for this university and more importantly, my lab." He let out a raspy laugh at the last part.

Kimmy: " so what exactly do they want us to monitor ?"

Dr. Trad: " they want to focus on the crab fishery as well as collect data such as depths, population assessment, weather and water conditions."

Me: " ok. Sounds easy enough. We have experience in similar studies. What about the fundings?"

Dr. Trad: " already approved. $2.5 million. State of the art equipment….but that's also the catch."

Kimmy and I gave each other another confused look and then back at Trad.

: " that's the largest grant any student has received at this university. We can't screw this up."

Kimmy: "uh huh?"

Dr. Trad: "NOAA wants to monitor King Crab populations in the Bering Sea. I can't rely on us training anyone else to set up and properly collect data. It needs to be our own crew… it needs to be you two. Aboard a boat. Collecting data every step of the way."

Just as the words left his mouth I shot to the edge of my chair and practically yelled "WHAT?"

Kimmy: " wait! So you're implying that we need go out there and actually be aboard a boat and actively collecting data ?" her voice couldn't hide the fact that this completely excited her.

Dr. Trad: "yes. This will immensely help for research purposes and do wonders for you as students. Now please give it some good thought tonight. You two would be women…aboard a boat full of men… in the Bering Sea… for atleast a month straight. Think about it. Now get back into the lab for now. I need you to bring the rest of the team up to speed on our other projects. Make sure everyone is following protocol."

Still in my state of shock, I rose out of my seat just after Kimmy and we both left his office and started down the hall to the laboratory.

Kimmy: " you know we are gonna own this shit, right?"

Me: " kimmy this is big…..real big. We have been out at sea and done grunt work, sure. But this is a month straight with no breaks. Plus, you know how those crabbers are with their boat rules and strict no female on board rules."

Kimmy: " ugh. It will be fine. Trust me."

She wrapped an arm around me as we walked into the lab to check on our research students.

Kimmy POV

It was a particularly chilly night tonight. Dr. Trad, Nikki and I were walking across the parking lot towards the Elbow Room. We had an 8pm meeting with the captains of a crab boat in order to discuss Nikki and I potentially joining their crew for our research project. Having lived in Alaska for quite some time during our undergraduate and graduate studies, we had traveled down to Dutch Harbor before. The Elbow Room wasn't anything classy, but was rather known for its "charm". Nikki and I have been friends with a few fisherman over the years and even gone out for salmon tendering in order to conduct research with the fisheries department. NOAA gave strict guidelines as per how research and data was to be collected. After speaking with the Hansen brothers, Trad and the NOAA representative decided that the captains of the Time Bandit were our best shot at getting to the locations that we needed to gather data from. Sig Hansen helped schedule a meeting between us and the TB crew.

Dr. Trad : *opening the door* "well here goes nothing ladies."

Nikki: * looking around the crowded bar* " ugh. What if they tell us 'no'"

Me: " we won't let them."

We scanned the room for a few seconds before I saw a tall man stand from his chair and wave us over.

Dr. Trad: " hi gentlemen, I take it that you two are the Hillstrand brothers?"

" that's us. I'm Andy Hillstrand and this is my brother Johnathan" the tall man that had waved us over pointed towards the other man sitting with him. His brother Johnathan did not speak and almost seemed bothered to be there.

Dr. Trad: " nice to meet you both. I am Dr. Trad and these two ladies are Nikki and Kimberly." He said pointing at each of us as he introduced us.

Nikki and I both shook Andy's hand and sat down.

Dr. Trad : " so Andy and Johnathan, you both came highly regarded by Mr. Sig Hansen. I am a professor at the University of Alaska and Nikki and Kimberly are my two top graduate students. We asked to meet with you today because we have been given a grant by NOAA to conduct some fisheries and water quality research of the Bering Sea. Sig is a good friend of Kimberly and based on the coordinates that we need to hit, he said that he would be unable to help us out this upcoming season because he wanted to try out a new fishing ground this time around. Although, he did mention that the coordinates that we needed to hit were in the area that you two typically fish in."

Andy listeneded intently as Johnathan scoffed. Man was this man seriously bugged to be here. He barely looked in our direction. Meanwhile, Nikki sat beside me shaking life a leaf. The tequila shot I made her take before we headed over had obviously done nothing for her nerves. This girl really needs to learn to relax.

Andy : " I see….. listen, I hate to ask this but I need to get right into it…. So, us helping you all… what exactly does that do for us? "

Dr. Trad: " well NOAA is a huge organization. Along with the research opportunity they are also footing the bill for funding. I understand that asking for two of our students to tag along aboard is quite a favor to ask… so one million dollars will be given to the boat crew that agrees to participate." At the sound of this, the scruffy man finally perked up and became interested in our conversation.

Johnathan: " when do we get to meet these students of yours in order to decide if we are willing to agree to this or not."

Me: " Hello! Like Dr. Trad mentioned, Nikki and I are his top graduate students. We will be overseeing this project."

Johnathan: " WHAT?" he yelled, almost spilling his beer on the table. " You want us to take these two GIRLS out with us ?" he asked turning over to Trad..

Nikki: * interrupting before anyone else could get a word out* " Mr. Hillstrand, no one is holding a gun to your head. You can accept or decline. And yes… Kim and I happen to be females but I assure you that my gender has never gotten in the way of me delivering what's needed of me .TIME. Kimberly and I have both done salmon tendering several times, as well as deep water data collections. Sig Hansen ONLY referred us to you because he knows that we are capable of getting the job done."

My chest immediately swelled with pride at the sight of Nikki finally speaking up and standing her ground. I guess that tequila shot was finally kicking in. That's the firecracker I know and love.

Andy: " who have you done salmon tendering for ?" I handed him a copy of each of our resumes as Nikki and Johnathan continued to glare holes into each other.

Andy :" oh sweet. I know most of these guys you have worked with as far as the fisheries goes…..everything else on here is a little too complicated for me to understand….damn, you two have done quite a lot. How old are you two again?

Nikki : " I'm 21 and Kimmy is 22."

Andy: " alright. Let me call up some of these guys you've worked for and then speak to our crew about this and I will contact you in the next few days. Sound good?"

Dr. Trad: " sounds great. Thank you both for your time."

We all stood up and shook each others hands.

Once in the parking lot Nikki got into my car.

Me: " umm….where the hell did that come from? I'm so proud of you" giggling.

Nikki: * she stayed staring off into space*… " that got me so hot." A sly smile on her face.

Me : " duh. You could cut that sexual tension with a knife, girl."

I threw my car into drive and sped out of the parking lot.

Author's Note : first chapter down.. this is my first fanfiction so it's still a little rough. Please comment and review. If you have an suggestions, I would love to hear them.


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